


Bad Day

by Queen_Sansa



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Boys In Love, Canon Disabled Character, Crying, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 04:19:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15307350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_Sansa/pseuds/Queen_Sansa
Summary: Alex has has a bad day and is in the grips of a breakdown when Zach discovers him crying in the locker room and makes everything a million times better.Guys this is my first ever fic, so please be nice!!





	Bad Day

Today had been a shit day. Alex still had them, no matter what he told his parents. He wasn’t quite sure what caused them. Was it just his depression, or was it something more? He found that little things set him off. Sniggers from folks he had never spoken to, folks who thought they knew his life story just by gazing at his scar; the pitying glances from those who saw him as a charity case to be applauded; or, worst of all, the snide glances shot his way from the jocks. God, could they ruin his mood with a single well-timed glare.  
And then there was Zach… No, he scolded himself. Don’t think of Zach.  
A difficult feet when the whole reason for Alex sitting on this hard concrete bench, cane in hand, was that he was due another dreaded PT session with Zach.  
Were they dreaded? It was hard for Alex to say. Certainly, they were physically demanding, but that was to be expected. Mentally though they were torture.  
Alex had never had sex before, not with a guy or a girl. Now, why had he thought that? Of course, he hadn’t had sex with a guy. He shifted uncomfortably on the bench. Please God, not another bonar incident. He wondered if Zach thought of that moment nearly as often as he did. Oh to be able to read another boy’s thoughts.  
The closeness he felt with Zach during their PT must be somewhere as close, as intimate, as two lovers. Surely. He felt like Zach knew him better than anyone else in the world. God, I hope he doesn’t know everything thought Alex. With another nervous look at his crotch.  
Six o’clock. Zach was late. Alex was already changed into his swim shorts. Maybe it was that that was causing Zach to dominate his head. Or maybe he was just tired of lying to himself.  
Surely he hadn’t felt this low in a long time. Useless, broken, unlovable. I’m Zach’s fucking charity case. But, that wasn’t fair. Zach had always made him feel at ease, comfortable. Whole even.  
The tears were rolling down his cheeks before he could stop them. Months of frustrated fury at his own brokenness finally wrought from him. The heaving sobs tore at his insides like noxious gas and for the first time in a long while he gave himself over to his emotions.  
“Oh, fuck. Alex!” He hadn’t even heard the other boy come in. Oh please, God. No! He can’t see me like this. He already thinks I’m weak. Alex tried to stem the flow of tears, but that only made things worse.  
He felt two strong arms encircle him. Squeezing him tightly. Rubbing his arms gently. “Hey… hey…. shhhhhh”. It was too much.  
Alex began to cry into Zach’s shoulder, all the while trying to speak, to explain himself, to reassure Zach that he wasn’t some weakling cripple loser.  
At length, his sobbing subsided and he merely clung to Zach’s strong shoulders as if they were his only lifeline. That familiar scent filled his brain until he was quite intoxicated.  
“Alex, I had no idea…” Zach’s voice trailed off as he held the other boy at arm's length. “No idea you were still…”  
“A fucking cripple with no fucking hope?” He didn’t mean to sound as petulant as he did. And he saw from Zach’s hurt gaze that the words stung. “Fuck, I’m so sorry, Zach.” He attempted to wipe his eyes on his arm. “I didn’t mean that. These PT sessions have helped so much, but I still… I get…” He gulped. And Zach brought him in for another tight hug. “Today’s just been a shitty day.” He mumbled into Zach’s chest.  
At that, Zach stood abruptly. He picked up Alex’s clothes which had been dumped in a pile at his feet. “Get changed.” He said gently.  
“But, what about PT?”  
“No PT today. Let’s hang out at yours instead. Sound fun?”  
It did sound appealing. Alex loved spending time with Zach; loved the easy back and forth that seemed so natural; loved the chance to be near him; to touch him; to —

 

They drove to the Standall’s house in a comfortable silence; both lost in their thoughts. There’s no going back now, thought Alex. He’s seen me at my absolute lowest and he hadn’t run. He took comfort in that thought. He wondered if Zach could even begin to imagine the depth of love and gratitude Alex carried for him. Probably not, or he’d have run a mile. Something had shifted in their friendship tonight though. Alex was sure of it; they were closer, much closer than they had been at the beginning of the day.  
They drove into the Standall’s drive as the sun was beginning to set. “I just wanna have a word with your mom. About PT and shit.” Zach told him as he helped him out of the car.  
“Yeah, whatever,” Alex said in what he hoped was an off-hand way. “I’ll wait for you upstairs.”

He didn’t need to eavesdrop on the conversation to know what would be said. It made him smile to know with such accuracy what Zach would be saying to his parents; how he thought that he had better stay the night with Alex, just to make sure. How he was worried about Alex and what he might do if left alone.  
Zach Dempsey had never been the most complex of guys; he always had to work super hard to stay on top of his grades. It was part of the reason Alex loved him - the knowledge that what you saw was what you got with Zach. How he hated himself for bringing him such pain.

The gentle tap at the door brought him out of his revery. “Come in.” Zach entered the room looking sheepish.  
“Your folks said I could stay the night.” Ah. Just as he\s thought. They wanted Zach to keep an eye on him.  
“Yeah. Cool. You want me to get a mattress for the floor?”  
Zach frowned. “It’s like seven thirty. You’re in your PJs.”  
“Yeah, I guess having a breakdown takes it out of you.”  
“Alex, you—”  
“I’m kidding, man.” Alex cut across him. And then added, “Though I am pretty tired.” It was true. He flopped down on the side of his bed farthest from the door.  
He heard Zach begin to strip until he was in his boxers and t-shirt (what a lovely prospect). He lay down next to Alex, their bodies mere inches away from each other.  
There was a tense pause. Neither quite knowing how to break the silence. Zach hit the light switch, plunging the pair of them into darkness.  
Another pause and then “I’ll be OK, you know,” murmured Alex. He turned to face Zach, searching for his hand in the darkness. He found it and brought it to his own cheek on impulse. “I still have these bad days, but they’re nowhere near as bad as they used to be… before … you know when.” He brought Zach’s hand to his mouth. The sound of Zach’s breath catching brought him to say that “You’ve helped me so much, Zach. I can’t even begin to explain how fucking much you’ve helped me…”  
There was a silence for a moment. Then another. Just when Alex was beginning to regret his candour, his mouth was suddenly covered. Zach’s hands were about his face and his sweet-scented breath was intoxicating him. The kiss was clumsy but just as wonderful as Alex had ever dreamed.  
He responded with enthusiasm. Fuck, is this even real?  
After what seemed like a thousand years they broke apart. “I’ve wanted to do that for the longest fucking time.” Zach’s voice broke.  
Alex could only grin into the other boy’s chest and hold him close, not trusting himself to speak. Eventually managed to blurt out “Zach Dempsey, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me. You’ve turned me into a fucking sap!”


End file.
